Shaped by Land gives Greenland its voice back

"I’m very proud of being a Greenlandic human".

The words fall with particular weight, while the camera rests on two figures, who in bright sunlight work their way up a steep mountainside on skis.

Adam Kjeldsen walks in front, followed by his son Ilik Skov Kjeldsen. The snow crunches beneath them, the mountain rises, and the silence speaks almost as loudly as the voice.

This is how the documentary Shaped by Land opens – with a picture of strength, heritage and cohesion. Two generations on the way up. Together.

More than a ski film

On the surface, the film is a story about skiing, steep mountainsides and adventures in Arctic surroundings. But beneath the snow there is something bigger. Shaped by Land is equally about identity, belonging and the question of who gets to tell the story of Greenland – and who benefits from it.

The director behind the film, Emily Sullivan, says that this perspective was central from the beginning.

- There was a lot of media content about skiing in Greenland, but no one had really focused on the local ski environment. Many visitors miss out on the local culture, and that’s a shame. When I first started working on the project, some people said: ‘I had no idea you could ski in Greenland’ – and that’s really surprising to me, says the director, who currently lives in Alaska.

At the same time, she points out that the film is being released at a time when Greenland is becoming more global – but where Greenlandic voices are not always heard clearly enough.

- Showing a Greenlandic community that is actively and joyfully shaping its own relationship with the land feels more important than ever, says the director.

For decades, Greenland has often been portrayed from the outside – as an exotic destination or untouched nature. This documentary tries something different. Here, it is not the landscape alone that is the main character, but the people who live with it, know it and carry it within them. That is the film's greatest strength.

Knowing the Mountains by Name

Adam Kjeldsen is not portrayed as a classic action sports hero, but as a person characterized by calm, experience and pride. He knows the mountains like the back of his hand. He knows where the snow is drifting, where the wind is blowing, and which places demand respect. For him, guiding is not just about taking guests up and down the mountains, but about communicating the Greenland that he himself was shaped by.

One of the film's strong moments takes place on the water. Adam calls over to another boat and asks who will guide the guests up into the mountains. The answer comes back in broken English: A Frenchman. Adam looks clearly disappointed, but calmly replies that they must take care of themselves and behave in a safe manner. The scene says more than many interviews could have done.

Large foreign ski players come to Greenland, market the mountains and sell the experience on, often without the local roots, name recognition or understanding of the place that people like Adam possess. When that happens, Greenland can easily become a backdrop rather than a home. The documentary also points to the economic side. Too little money stays in Greenland, as ski tourism currently works. While foreign companies and guides bring in customers, there are only very few local players who actually operate in the market.

This makes the film's message all the more stark: Nature is Greenlandic, but the value often disappears from the country. Greenland has tried to make up for the imbalance that the film points to politically. The new tourism law requires local roots and a Greenlandic presence in the industry, so that nature is not simply sold by others while the profits disappear from the country. If the law has the desired effect, some of the bias the film portrays may be on the way to changing it.

Beautiful – but could bite harder

If the film has a weakness, it is that it does not go deep enough into the issues it raises. The documentary lasts only 16 minutes, and although all 16 minutes are beautiful, strong and well-composed, you are left with the feeling that the story has only just opened the door.

The conflict between local guides and foreign actors, the question of economic profit and the fight for the right to define Greenland deserve more space. Here the film could have dared to linger longer and dig deeper.

You are not left unsatisfied – but hungry for more depth.

A film that hits home

For a Greenlandic audience, Shaped by Land will be experienced differently than for international viewers. Where others see adventure, many here will see recognition. Where others see wild nature, we will see home.

The director expresses a hope for precisely that recognition and closeness in the encounter with the audience. She says:

- I hope the film makes the Greenlandic audience feel pride in their local ski environment and hope for the future, says Emily Sullivan.

It is precisely in this balance that the film stands strongest: between the beautiful and the close, between the visual adventure and the people who actually live in it.

When son Ilik follows his father up the mountain, it therefore becomes not just a ski trip, but a still image of something bigger – a handover of knowledge, experience and belonging from one generation to the next.

It is in these moments that Shaped by Land arrives. Not by explaining everything, but by letting the landscape and the people speak together. That is what makes the film important.

A beautiful, thought-provoking and politically relevant documentary that shows Greenland from the inside – and asks a necessary question about who is actually reaping the benefits of the country.